Shipping crate



March 16 1926.

R. L. WILLIAMS SHIPPING CRATE Filed April 8. 1925 WwM Patented Mar. 16, 1926 UNITE STATES PATENT Erica.

SHIPPING CRATE.

Application filed April 8, 1925. Serial No 21,582.

To all w ham it may concern Be it known that I, RAYMOND LEE WEL- LIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shipping Crates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shipping crates for live stock, particularly for young chickens, and it is directed especially to an improvement in shipping packages intended for use for shipments by parcel post.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a package which has sufficient strength and rigidity to stand the treatment to which mailing packages are subjected, and which also will provide for proper ventilation to the contents of the package under all circumstances.

One feature of the invention relates to the particular outer configuration of the box, which makes it possible to stack the boxes in tiers without any danger of shutting off 2 the ventilating openings.

Another feature of the invention is provided by the construction in which the top or lid has dimensions smaller than the dimensions of the sides or bottom.

Another feature of the invention resides in the particular arrangement of the lid hinges and fastening hooks, so that these parts, while on'the exterior of the box, are nevertheless within the larger dimensions of the box, thereby making it possible to stack the boxes'closely alongside of each other and above one another.

The above and additional details and advantages are described and claimed in the following specification and claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a shipping crate embodying the features of this invention, showing the lid in its open position, and looking downward into the box;

Figure 2 is an end View of the shipping crate shown in Figure 1, illustrating how the fastening hinge and hooks on opposite sides of the container lie within the outer confines of the box;

Figure 3 is a top plan View of a detail,

how the central partition is one upper corner of the box with the lid closed and hooked; and

Figure 6 illustrates four boxes of the type of this invention stacked two boxes high and two boxes wide, illustrating the ventilating passage provided for by this invention between adjacent boxes.

Referring in detail to the drawing, like reference characters identify like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

In Figure 1, the floor of the box is indi cated at 1. The front side wall is indicated at 2 and 3 identifies the rear wall, above which hinges are secured, as will be described. The ends of the box are indicated at 4, and in Figure 1, the near end is illustrated as equipped with a receiving clip 4 for the reception of an addressed envelope or card for which this style of package is particularly adapted. In practice, it is customary to have an envelope addressed on both sides, one side bearing the address of the shipper, and the other side bearing the address of the consignee. The receiving clip is customarily provided with recurved edges at the sides and bottom with the upper side open for the ready reception of a card or en velope, as indicated in the fragmentary view of Figure 4, in which the card or envelope is indicated at 4. I

One of the features which makes possible an unusual degree of ventilation when containers of the type of this invention are used resides in the construction of the corners of the box; The side walls 2 and 3 and the end walls 4; are each rabbeted back from the corners of the box, asindicated at 2'', 3 and 4;, respectively. This results in providing a side wall which is thicker throughout its major portion than at its extreme end portions, thus providing the major portion of the outer faces as plain surfaces projecting out beyond the end or edge portions adjacent the corners. As a result of this rabbeting, when crates of thistype are piled one above the other, the adjacent faces of the thicker portions may abut each otherv but the corresponding rabbeted portions at the corners are accordingly spaced apart and ventilation is provided upwardly through the rabbeted portions. 1

In the corners of the crate are upwardly extending supports 5, the upper ends of which project above the line of the side walls ant serve as a mounting for ventilating wire netting (3, which is illustrated as passing around the crate. Thus the wire netting is located above the solid side walls and in the same plane with them. The crate lid 7 is adapted to rest on the upper ends of the corner supports 5. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, it will be observed that the lid 7 has its corners substantially flush with the corresponding corners of the supports, or, in other words, the corners of the lid are spaced inwardly from the line of the corner formed by the adjacent ends and sides of the box. As result of this construction, the corners of the sides of the box tend to protect the wire netting, and the lid of the box from damage in rough handling.

Hinge means for fastening the lid 7 to the lower part of the crate is indicated at 8. Preferably the hinge consists of a three-part construction, including at least two pivot points or pintles, of which the lowermost portion is mounted on the projecting support 5 and extreme upper portion is secured to the side edge of the lid 7. As result of this arrangement, the hinge structure lies wholly above the thicker portion of the side walls of the c ate and below the plane of the upper surface of the lid. As shown in Figure 2, the hinge 8 is spaced inwardly from the plane of the outer face of the side wall 8. In Figure 6, the relative position of the fastening means and hinges of adjacent crates is indicated illustrating how the hinges are free from interference with the hinges of adjacent crates when the crates are piled one above the other. The three part hinge feature is important also because the lid must be capable of falling awayfrom the support so as to clear the projecting face of the thicker portion of the side wall 3.

As indicated in Figure 7, the hinge may be a three-part strap hinge instead of the simple triple link type illu trated in ures 1, 2 and 5.

The crate may be divided into a plurality of spaces by means of a vertical partition indicated at 10 which is adapted to be slidabl'y mounted in vertical supporting guideways 9 fastened to the inside of the front wall 2 and back wall 3. A slot 9 on the adjacent faces of the members 9 may be provided for the reception of the partition 10. The upper ends of the members 9 may serve to provide additional support for the middle portion of the lid 7, and if desired a locking element, not shown, may be secured to the outside surface ofthe support 9 and above the upper edge of the w for locking the lid 7 in its closed position.

Changes in size, shape and materi may be made without depar ing from th of this invention. 7

What I claim is 1. A ventilated recep rule for shipping baby chicks comprising a bottom and up right side walls, and a lid, the outer din'iensions of which are less than the dimensions of the receptacle around its side walls, the side walls of each being thicker through the major portion than at their end portions, whereby ventilation is provided along the end edge portions when similar receptacles are stacked one upon the other and alongside e each other.

2. A ventilated receptacle for shipping baby chicks comprising a bottom and upright side walls, a lid, and ventilating netting positioned above and in the same plane with the side walls and beneath the lid, the cute edge of said lid beii r spaced i, warrll from the outer surface of i he side walls the side walls of each being thicker through the major portion than at their end portions, whereby ventilation is provided along the end edge portions when similar receptacles are stacked one upon the other and alongside of each other. 7

3. A ventilated receptacle for shipping baby chicks comprising a bott m and upright side walls, alid, and ventilating netting positioned above and in the same plane with the side walls and beneath the lid, the

outer edge of said lid and said netting there beneath being spaced inwardly from the outer surface of the side walls, the side walls of each being thicker through the major portion than at their end portions, whereby ventilation is provided alon the end edge portions when similar receptacles are stacked one upon the other and alongside of each other.

L. A. ventilated. receptacle for shipping baby chicks comprising a bottom and up right side walls, upright supports projecting above the upper edge of said side walls and spaced inwardly from the outer surface of said side wall, wire netting extending between adjacent supports, and a lid resting on and supported by the upper ends of said supports, the side walls of each being thicker through the m jor portion than at their end portions, whereby ventilation is pro-aided along the end edge portions when similar receptacles are stacked one upon the other and alongside of each other.

5. A ventilated receptacle for shipping baby chicks comprising a bottom and upright side walls, u right supports projecting above the upper edge of said side walls and spaced inwardly from the outer surface of said side wall, wire netting extending between adjacent supports, a lid resting on and supported by the upper ends of said sup ports, and fastening means for said lid at opposite edges thereof secured to said supports and to said lid and spaced inwardly from the outer faces of the side walls the side walls each being thicker through the major portion than at their end portions whereby the major portion projects beyond the end portion and ventilation is provided along the end edge portions when receptacles of similar type are stacked one upon the other and alongside of each other.

6. A ventilated receptacle for shipping baby chicks comprising abottom and upright side walls, upright supports projecting above the upper edge of said sidewalls and spaced inwardly from the outer surface of said side wall, wire netting extending between adjacent supports, anda lid resting on and supported by the upper ends of said supports, the edge of said lid and the surface of said netting being spaced inwardly from the outer surface of said side walls, the side walls of each being thicker through the major portion than at their end portions, whereby ventilation is provided along the end edge portions when similar receptacles are stacked one upon the other and alongside of each other.

7. A ventilated receptacle for shipping baby chicks comprising a bottom and upright side walls, the upright intersections of which are rabbeted at the corners whereby the box corner is spaced inwardly from the line of intersection of the planes of the ad j acent side wall outer surfaces, a lid adapted to cover the opening of said receptacle and the outer dimensions of which are less than the dimensions of the receptacle around its side walls, and a band of ventilating Wire netting positioned between the plane of the lid and the upper edge of the side walls, the side walls of each being thicker through the major portion than at their end portions, whereby ventilation is provided along the end edge portions when similar receptacles are stacked one upon the other and alongside of each other.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

RAYMOND LEE WILLIAMS. 

